Books forum

Be prepared for VIETNAM...

  • AlexBCN

    Hi,

    I am going to be travelling through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia this summer, and i want to get a better knowledge of all of them (but speacially Vietnam and Cambodia).

    Do you guys know of any good book to learn a bit more about Vietnam. I am not looking for History books, but rather good novels.

    I have found few good ones about Cambodia (specially "First they killed my father" about the Khmer regime), but so far I have not been that lucky with Vietnam!

    Any ideas? Ah... and if you are around Vientam in July, maybe we can meet up and exchange books! :)

    Thank you all

    #1 Posted: 22/4/2010 - 20:50


  • caseyprich

    Cambodia

    Francois Bizot, The Gate

    Jon Swain, River of Time

    for more: http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/reading.htm



    Vietnam

    The Quiet American by Graham Greene

    Thu Huong Duong and Nina McPherson (Translator), Memories of a Pure Spring

    Thu Huong Duong (Author), Nina McPherson (Author), Paradise of the Blind : A Novel



    A top ten list - http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20010608_01/

    #2 Posted: 22/4/2010 - 21:37

  • bradmcfc81

    For Vietnam, my personal favourite is ''The Cat From Hue" by Paul Laurence.

    John Laurence covered the Vietnam war for CBS News from 1965 to 1970 and was judged by his colleagues to be the best television reporter of the war. His documentary about a squad of U.S. troops, "The World of Charlie Company," received every major award for broadcast journalism. Despite the professional acclaim, however, the traumatic stories Laurence covered became a personal burden that he carried long after the war was over.

    #3 Posted: 29/7/2010 - 20:54

  • DLuek

    I know it's not a book, but a wonderful Vietnamese film is "The Scent of Green Papaya".

    #4 Posted: 30/7/2010 - 02:00

  • Rasheeed

    Vietnam: A Traveler's Literary Companion has a nice variety of stories.

    'sheeed

    #5 Posted: 25/1/2011 - 08:40

  • cisdeluca

    Alive in the Killing Fields - great read for Cambodia!

    #6 Posted: 27/2/2011 - 18:51

  • hanley

    Posted from within Vietnam.

    When you get to Hanoi check out the Bookworm bookshop on Chau Long street (off Quan Thanh, near the Chau Long market), behind the Hanoi Cooking School. It's an English language bookshop and upstairs they have a great collection of books about Vietnam. Phew, it'll be hot in July!

    #7 Posted: 25/4/2011 - 10:38

  • hanley

    Posted from within Vietnam.

    Dragons on the Roof - A Year in Vietnam by Carol Howland
    Catfish and Mandala

    #8 Posted: 25/4/2011 - 10:42

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